Jack Danylchuk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 03/05) - Financially-troubled and reeling from harsh reviews of its operations, the Dene Nation wants to remake itself as an umbrella organization for culture, communication and economic development.

According to a three-year strategic plan developed by hired consultants, the Dene Nation would take over the Dene Cultural Institute, Denendeh Development Corp. and the NWT Native Communications Society.

The Dene Nation "would oversee three other currently independent organizations, ensuring they carry out the wishes of the Dene leadership," the plan's authors wrote.

First unveiled at the annual assembly in Deline in August, the plan is up for discussion at a leadership meeting later this month. It faces opposition from at least one of the organizations marked for takeover.

John C. Catholique, a member of the Native Communications Society's board of directors, said a takeover would be a backward step for free expression in Dene communities.

"We don't need to be controlled by the Dene Nation, we don't need to be harassed or told what to say," said Catholique, who worries that a Dene Nation takeover would also jeopardize the society's funding as a non-profit organization.

The society gets about $1 million a year from Heritage Canada and the territorial government to operate radio station CKLB, which broadcasts to 28 communities in the Northwest Territories.

"It would cut us off at the knees, and compromise our independence," said Joachim Bonnetrouge, chair of the society's board. "We need to be at least seeming to be at arms length from a political organization."

Catholique believes the proposed takeover is inspired by changes that have put the Dene Nation's "existence and purpose in question. They are looking for something to do that will help them survive."

Noeline Villebrun, Dene Nation national chief, did not respond to a request for an interview on the strategic plan. Spokespersons for other organizations affected by the plan did not make themselves available for comment.

The plan includes a highly critical review by Dene chiefs who rated the Dene Nation leadership as average and its fund-raising efforts as poor.

The chiefs also said the Dene Nation is no better than average or poor in research and planning, communication, administration and co-ordination.

The consultants were no less critical, and described the Dene Nation as an organization operating "in an ad hoc manner more focused on survival mode, raising money and doing government work rather than setting out plans and strategies based on priorities of its membership."

More than $500,000 in debt, the Dene Nation is so pressed for money that it is able to fill only six of 10 staff positions, creating "considerable stress on the organization," the consultants wrote.

The organization's four departments - health, lands and environment, resources, finance and administration - operate with "minimal research and planning and no performance measurement," according to the consultants.

The consultants noted that the health department spent $526,000 in 2003/04, but must raise funds to undertake any new project.

"However, past unfulfilled contribution agreements prevent new funding applications," the consultants wrote.